


The Nature of Starlight

by CrumblingAsh



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Space, Books, Bookstores, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Engineer Tony, Hurt Bucky Barnes, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Loki Feels, M/M, Matt Murdock Needs a Hug, Nick Fury is a Good Bro, Sad Bruce, Spaceships, Tony Being Tony, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Writer Bruce
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-27
Updated: 2017-05-27
Packaged: 2018-11-05 10:52:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11011965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrumblingAsh/pseuds/CrumblingAsh
Summary: He thought a lot about it before -- ahelluvalot about it during -- and the weight of the doubt almost burned it all after:what the hell is the point?[Five times a world was changed by Bruce Banner's words, and one time his words drastically changed his own]





	The Nature of Starlight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ellewrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ellewrites/gifts).



 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

_The scent of the burning fuel was sweet, not unlike the aroma of the garden flowers that had bloomed beneath his window every spring as a child. The light from the flames cast a warm glow over the dark of the dead grass, licking gluttonous shadows to where it couldn’t reach, but even that burning orange could not eat away at the brilliance of the stars radiating in the sky._

 

_He watched her, silent and reverent as he always was in her presence. The smile on her face, warmed from her own inner light and not that of the building-up engine, made his ribs ache – he yearned to crawl over to her, bury himself into her chest and be enfolded in her arms, to be small again, held, safe, happy and content in a way that was a nearby stranger to him anymore. But his feet stayed, the toes of his boots digging into the dirt, heels hovering minutely off the ground, leaning … away, the heat from the ship warming him more than her presence._

 

_There wasn’t as much time as he’d thought there would be for this – so much less. A minute, maybe, before someone realized the heat sensors weren’t glitching; a handful more before military vehicles were tearing up the yard of their quiet farm, guns drawn and quiet-badges flashing. Not enough time to fit another suit. Not enough time to arrange another seat. Not enough time to quell fears or encourage bravery or-_

 

_Easily, he saw her eyes leave him to drift to the cloudless sky, saw her smile stretch further as she turned away from the fire’s light to shower in the soothing glow of the stars. Radiant, peaceful as always._

 

_“…Mama.” Her name was a whisper from his lips, but even over the incinerating growl of flames, he could hear his voice carry over the span of no-time. “Come with me.”_

 

 

 

 

 

 

**_Excerpt from Knowhere, by Bruce Banner_ **

**Author's Note:**

> To Elle -
> 
> Who has done and continues to do loads for the sciencebros fandom. And who is just a ridiculously awesome person in general. :))) I hope you like this!


End file.
